Head Coach
2nd Year
Salisbury State ‘90
Wayne Bradford served as Edinboro’s interim head coach in 2017, and was appointed the permanent head coach the week after the season concluded. It was his 19th year as a member of the Edinboro coaching staff.
He enjoyed a highly-successful initial campaign as head coach, leading the Fighting Scots to a 7-4 finish, including 4-3 in PSAC West action. He picked up the first win of his head coaching career in the season opener handing Lake Erie a 30-3 loss. The following week he made it two wins in a row with a 20-3 victory over Lock Haven.
With three road games in the next four weeks, the Fighting Scots found themselves even at 3-3 after six weeks. Edinboro the misfortune of playing back-to-back road games against PSAC divisional favorites West Chester and Indiana(Pa.).
Edinboro would win four of its last five games as the high-powered offense from 2016 returned, along with an opportunistic defense. The Fighting Scots averaged 44.4 points during that stretch, including 69 points against Seton Hill and 63 vs. Cheyney. The biggest win was a 49-39 upset of 17th-ranked Slippery Rock.
Edinboro players received numerous postseason honors after Bradford’s initial campaign. Walter Fletcher led the way. The redshirt sophomore set the school record for rushing yards with 1,740 yards. He was named to four All-American teams, including second team Associated Press Division II All-America. Six players were accorded All-PSAC West honors. Zuril Hendrick paced Division II in interceptions, with Fletcher second in the country in rushing.
Bradford’s coaching career has been accentuated by outstanding defensive performances. This past year, Edinboro ranked third in the PSAC and tenth in Division II in turnovers gained, including second and seventh, respectively, in interceptions. Finally, the Fighting Scots were third in the PSAC in red zone defense and 19th in Division II.
In 2016, Bradford coached the inside linebackers along with serving as the Director of Development under former head coach Justin Lustig. The Fighting Scots ended the year with a 9-2 record.
Bradford previously served as the defensive coordinator the previous ten seasons under former head coach Scott Browning, and had held the same title in 1999 under former head coach Tom Hollman. After overseeing the defensive line for seven seasons, Bradford took over as the linebackers coach in 2006. He returned four years ago to work with the linemen. In addition, he served as the recruiting coordinator.
Bradford has master-minded some brilliant defensive performances over the years in a day and age when offense has taken over. For instance, in 2011 the Fighting Scots ranked eighth in Division II in scoring defense (17.0 ppg.), 11th in pass efficiency defense, and 18th in total defense (292.6 ypg.). Edinboro gave up fewer than twenty points in seven of its 11 games.
He orchestrated the top defense in the country in 2005, as Edinboro paced Division II in scoring defense (9.3 ppg.), total defense (211.2 ypg.), and rushing defense (53.7 ypg.). In addition, Edinboro was third in pass efficiency defense and turnover margin. The Fighting Scots recorded three shutouts, the most since the 1975 team also shut out three opponents. A total of seven opponents were held to seven points or less. The unit had seven All-PSAC West performers in 2005.
In 2006, his defensive unit recorded two more shutouts while leading the PSAC in rushing defense (70.6 ypg.), good for third in the country. Seven players on defense earned all-conference recognition.
In 2008, Bradford guided a young defense that ended up having five players earn All-PSAC honors. The Fighting Scot defense tied for second in the PSAC in scoring defense despite ranking no higher than fifth in any individual category.
Under Bradford's tutelage, Edinboro has had 33 first team All-PSAC West defensive performers. He has been responsible for three PSAC West Defensive Players of the Year, with Ben Stroup earning the honor in 2006, Chris Amico the 2005 recipient, and Seth Fragale the winner in 2004.
Bradford joined the Edinboro coaching staff after serving as an assistant coach at his alma mater, Salisbury State. He began his coaching career with the Sea Gulls in 1990, serving as an assistant coach in charge of the linebackers (1990-92) and defensive linemen (1992-94). In 1994, he was promoted to defensive coordinator. He remained in that position through the 1998 campaign, when he joined the Edinboro staff.
In 1997, Salisbury State ranked 38th in NCAA Division III in total defense, allowing just 268 yards per game. His 1995 defensive unit produced a first team AFCA All-American at linebacker, and helped the Sea Gulls finish 7-2 with a berth in the ECAC Southwest Championship Game.
Bradford graduated from Salisbury State in 1990 with a bachelor's degree in Business Administration. He completed work on his master's degree in Business Administration from Salisbury State in 1992. In addition to working as a member of the football staff, Bradford was a faculty member in the School of Business. Beginning in 1996, he was the Director of the Business Graduate Programs for the Perdue School of Business.
As an undergraduate, Bradford was an offensive lineman. He played on the 1986 Salisbury State team which finished as the NCAA Division III national runner-up.
Bradford and his wife, Gwen, reside in Edinboro with their 20-year-old son, Nick, who is a junior at Edinboro and a member of the men’s swimming team, 18-year-old daughter, Julia, a state champion as a member of the swimming team at Villa Maria Academy and also an outstanding water polo player who is a freshman at St. Francis(Pa.), and 13-year-old son Mitchell.
